Overview
Mission Australia's submission to Australia’s youth justice and incarceration system Inquiry presents evidence that young people’s involvement in the youth justice system is often the result of complex social issues that exacerbate difficulty, disadvantage and lack of opportunity for young people, their families and communities, and that incarceration during childhood and adolescence has detrimental impacts across the life course, while doing little to improve community safety or reduce reoffending. We note that while the Federal Government has ratified several international treaties relevant to youth justice issues, historical and current compliance with the obligations of these treaties is lacking at all levels of government. Research on effective alternative approaches to incarceration for young people indicates that adopting and resourcing a whole of system shift towards prevention and early intervention programs that comprehensively address the root causes of youth crime (such as adverse childhood experiences, disadvantaged geographic location, disengagement from education and unsupported needs related to mental health, substance use and neurodevelopmental disability) would deliver the greatest social and economic benefit.
We recommend that Australian governments fulfil their international obligations towards children and young people, particularly in relation to youth justice and incarceration matters, improve outcomes monitoring, comprehensively address the root causes of youth crime and invest in evidence-based prevention, early intervention and diversion programs.